


A Long Journey Indeed

by minisculecosmos



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Based on their music videos, Pirate AU, Pirate King - Freeform, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-05-15 01:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19285690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minisculecosmos/pseuds/minisculecosmos
Summary: Wooyoung’s life first changed when his dad disapperead from his life.It changed again when his mom disappeared too.It changed once more when he stumbled upon the crew of pirates who go by the name ATEEZ.Will he find ever be reunited with his parents?Hello! I’m back with another story from another fandom. I’m obsessed with the pirate concept Ateez has and I had to write something for it. I’m super devoted to this one, so I expect to be really long.Warning: semi-important character death, as well as some angst and confusion ahead- but don’t worry, all will end well for our children. Please leave constructive criticism in the comments, and let me know if you like it so far! (Please, your comments give me life) :)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Before you start reading: (not critical though)  
> This takes place in some non-specified time in the past where modern technology doesn’t exist, pirates and kingdoms do, and navigation technology is on par with that in the Illusion MV. Also, his house is meant to be on a cliff looking out over the ocean, and has a VERY scenic view with an old bench that he sits on often. Also, the ship is fairly large and has two and a half floors, which I’ll talk about later.
> 
> But enough rambling, on with the story!  
> I hope you enjoy :)

“The sound of wind blowing from the horizon, the warmth of the sun hitting the ocean waves, the vibration of sand beating like the hearts of youth. We're at the starting point of this long journey.”

“Wooyoung? Where are you? Come back inside!”

The boy in question turned away from the captivating view toward his mom who was ushering him inside for dinner. The sun was setting on yet another day over the sparkling sea and its distant horizon. The temperature had started to drop a while ago, but Wooyoung only cared about watching the ball of flames disappear into the ocean. He gave the sight one last longing glance before turning around to walk back home.

“Really, Wooyoung, what is it with you and watching the sunset? It never changes, what’s the point?” his mother inquired.

“I think it’s beautiful, that’s all,” he replied. What he didn’t tell her was his desire to travel the oceans, to find some unknown land far away. His mother set a plate in front of him.

“Eat up! You must be hungry after playing outside all day,” she said with a soft smile.

He loved his mom, he really did, but he wished that she understood his love for the sea, for adventure. They ate their dinner in silence, purposefully ignoring the empty chair at the head of the table. A quick glance at the calendar told him that it had been five months since they had last seen him, and said goodbye for the last time. He looked across the table at his mom. His poor mom, who always wore a smile in front of him. His poor mom, whom he could hear crying herself softly to sleep each night. His poor mom, who deserved the world but only got their home and one son.

Wooyoung wondered that if he were able to sail the ocean so close to their home he could find some clues about his father, about his past.

But if he left, who would take care of her? With his father gone, they lost their only source of income and relied on the crops that his mother tended to while he was at school. They sold many of the decorations and antiquities that had once made their house a home, but with one person gone it felt even emptier than the space the lack of decorations provided.

However, there were still traces of happiness. His mom’s curtains brightened the room when the sun came in, casting a pinkish glow over the wooden rooms. There was still the grandfather clock from his father’s family that had been passed on to his mother and father as a wedding gift.

Besides, the two of them found solace in each other where a busy mind and body could not provide it.

Despite all this, he knew something waited for him out there- in the depths of the ocean, miles and miles away. But his desire remained at bay, due to his love for his mother. He couldn’t bear to leave her alone, but still….

 

The next day, he and his mom made a trip to the market.

It was a Saturday, and a sleepy one at that. The air hung stagnant around them, the dry heat parching their throats as they walked. His mom hummed a tune beside him, a melody his ears had grown used to in his childhood. 너였구나 my shine light, 운명같이 온 true light, 밤하늘 속 서로를 보던 starlight.

The route they took from their home to the town center was a scenic one. It led them down the side of the cliff, close enough to the sea that the breeze paired with the strong waves sprayed sea mist on their faces as they traveled. The sun looked down on them, a silent guardian in the sky.

He hummed along, a grin growing on his face. Eventually they reached the market. Wooyoung and his mother walked over to their designated stall, setting down the baskets they had been carrying. They made quick work of laying out the vegetables and fruit along with the hand-knitted scarves and gloves as well as the other products his mom made.

She had an undeniable talent for knitting, crocheting, and sowing that was recognized by the regular attendees and vendors of the market.

A low voice interrupted his thoughts. “It’s good to see you here, Yeonja-ssi.” His mom looked up, startled. “And you too, Soo Geun-ssi. Are you here to buy anything?” He watched them talk amicably before turning to another customer.

He was a long-time family friend; a friend of his father’s before he left. As he looked to the newcomer, he started upon noticing the client’s outfit.

It was black and covered in chains, and he wore a black hat and mask that hid most of his face. His eyes stood out from underneath his hat, shining as though they had encaptured the moon and the stars.The outfit was most unusual, to say the least, especially at a place such as this one. Trying to gather his thoughts, he gave the stranger a smile.

“Hello! How may I help you?”

The man’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought. “Do you have ropes?” Wooyoung considered the question. “No, we only sell produce from our property and whatever my mom makes.” The man rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

He started to walk away before turning back. “Is there anyone here that sells them, then?” “What?”

“Does anyone else here sell ropes? Sturdy ones?”

Seeing he was running out of patience, he gestured toward a stall farther down the path. “The family four stalls down does.”

The stranger nodded abruptly and walked away, disappearing into the crowd, blending in seamlessly.

The sun was starting to set, and the vendors began packing up their things and counting what they made that day. Wooyoung wondered absentmindedly just how many Saturdays he and his mom had spent in the same tent, the same stall, the same marketplace.

His mom pulled him out of his thoughts. “Ready to go?” she said with a kind smile. “Yeah.”

They walked back to the house in silence, the evening wind chilling them through their thin clothing. Wooyoung took the opportunity to admire the ocean everyday. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an unusual sight in the ocean. He could vaguely make out a ship some 50 meters offshore.

Pirates.

Pirates had an interesting reputation in their town. Most saw them as filthy men who went around stealing from innocent people who just wanted to mind their own business. A rare few saw them as people who simply didn’t have a home and found company among the ranks of others just like them. Wooyoung, fitting the latter description, wondered idly if he would make a good pirate.

 

That night, a different air surrounded them. He caught his mom staring at him with an emotion almost like wistfulness or longing. He asked if she was okay, to which she responded with “Of course I’m fine, sweetie. Why don’t you finish your dinner?”

But he wasn’t quite sure that that was the truth.

 

Before he went to bed, he gave his mom a hug. “Goodnight. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He waited for a reply.

She never responded.

He looked at her curiously before walking away to his room just across the main room. He saw his mom wait at her door before slowly pushing it open. He thought he heard her sniffle.

He climbed under his covers, staring at the moon from his open window. His heart ached for a reason he didn’t know, the weight of melancholy bringing his emotions down to the depths of sadness. He felt a tear roll down his cheek. Startled, he wiped it away before turning to the other side of his room and drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

 

He blinked blearily, unsure of what woke him up. He saw a vague shape standing over him- his mother, a hand on his cheek. “Goodbye, my son. I am sorry.”

She leant down to kiss his forehead before turning away, clapping the door softly behind her. He heard her footsteps fade slowly as he fell back into unconsciousness.

 

The chirping of birds woke him up with the sun the next morning. He sat up, limbs still stiff from sleep and rubbed at his eyes. He wondered briefly why he couldn’t hear the clashing and banging of pots and pans as his mother bustled around the kitchen.

He got up, slowly making his way to the door. “Eomma?” he called out. No one answered, the house eerily quiet. He decided to check outside to see if she was tending to the garden. He made his way around their entire property, but found no sign of her. Starting to panic, he quickened his pace and ran down the cliff where they would walk to the marketplace together- but she was still nowhere to be found.

He wandered back to the house in a daze. Just because she’s not here right now doesn’t mean she didn’t just go somewhere. She’ll be back. He allowed himself to entertain the sliver of hope the thought gave him, and went on with his day. That evening, he got back from the schoolhouse weary from carrying his old textbooks during the long walk back. He put his supplies on their small table before going around their house and garden once more. Again, no sign of her.

He wandered out to the top of the cliff where he spent many hours watching the sun glisten over the vast blue of the ocean. He sat down on the old and weathered wooden bench, heart still heavy.

 

He made dinner in solitude; the dish that usually bursted with flavor tasting like sandpaper and gravel. He decided to go for a walk to clear his head.

He walked with his head down, not caring to admire the view that he adored so much. The air got cooler as he neared the sea, the ocean’s spray giving him goosebumps. He continued on to the sand, sitting down on the cool ground. His eyes were tearing up, and before Wooyoung realized it he was gasping for breath, body racked with sobs. He felt even worse realizing how dumb he looked, a young man alone on the beach, crying of all things. We wondered what happened, why his dad left them, why his mom left too.

It was astounding how much one’s life could change in a single day.

He looked up, expecting to see the moon lighting up the ocean’s surface. However, the view was blocked by a giant ship anchored to the shore.

He stood up quickly, suddenly feeling that he was not alone. A man wearing a similar black uniform as the stranger in the marketplace earlier appeared, his body obscured at first by the ramp leading into the ship.

He walked toward him, hat and mask hiding his face. He radiated an energy of wisdom, but also youthfulness. Wooyoung regarded him warily. Eventually, he reached him. He stopped a few feet away, then he spoke. “We saw you from the ship. One of my crewmates said that he recognized you. Naturally, we had to meet you.” He reached out a hand for Wooyoung to shake. He took it, not wanting to be disrespectful. He noticed his hand was callused and quite a bit dirtier than his own, but also warm and welcoming.

“My name is Wooyoung,” he said. Wooyoung thought he could sense a smile through the mask.

“Hongjoong,” he replied. “I do believe I’m your senior.”

Wooyoung nodded before turning his eyes back to the ship. “May I ask what you're doing here?”

Hongjoong turned to face his vessel. “We’re here to restock. A recent storm cost us one of the main ropes that controlled the sails.”

Wooyoung nodded, remembering the man in the market earlier. “Did you manage to find a replacement?” “Yes, thankfully. We had to dock here much longer than originally planned due to the damage we took from the storm. We leave tomorrow at dawn.”

Wooyoung nodded, glancing back at the vessel. Its wood in some places was painted black, and a flag waving from the tallest mast said ATEEZ in white letters, a stark contrast to the darkness that encompassed most of the ship.

Hongjoong sensed Wooyoung’s sadness, and reached out for his shoulder with one hand.

Wooyoung jumped, startled, but relaxed when he saw that the other was pulling down his mask, revealing a knowing smile. “I can tell you’re not telling me something. I am aware we just met, but please understand that you can trust me; I’m not going to loot your home up there don’t worry,” he said.

Wooyoung chuckled nervously before swallowing. “My mom left me.” He blinked back the tears that threatened to fall again. “Last night. I came down here trying to find some comfort in the rhythm of the waves.”

He stopped for a second, wondering if Hongjoong would judge him for being upset over the loss of his parent or for being so weak as to cry over it.

Instead, he smirked at him, eyes twinkling as though he had had a revelation about Wooyoung. “I think we can help.”

“We?”

Hongjoong moved his head in the direction of the ship. Wooyoung noticed three other figures watching them from the bow of the ship. Alarmed, he responded, “How?”

The other gestured toward his ship. “By coming with me, of course. Will you join us?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Just like that?”

“If you want to,” Hongjoong replied. “Though we understand if you do not want to leave- it’s not easy to leave everything behind so suddenly. It’s only expected that you might have a thing to hold you back. Other family, close friends, a beloved pet, a girl…” He added that last one with a small smirk.

Wooyoung debated his choices for a second. He could leave with them and experience a new world full of possibilities and adventure, but leave all he ever knew behind, or he could stay and continue on with his life as an orphan, taking his mother’s place in the market, go to school, and go on like nothing had changed, but miss the chance to escape his monotonous life for good?

He truly didn’t know.

“I-“ he started, voice breaking as tears threatened to fall again. What was wrong with him? Was he not able to make this decision?

“I’m sorry, I don’t know. I really appreciate your offer though.”

The other man nodded, stepping back. “Our offer still stands, should you change your mind.” 

He gave Wooyoung one last knowing smile, before turning around and walking back to the ship. Wooyoung watched as he climbed back up the ramp onto the ship, turning around once he saw the other man disappear.

The walk back home was slow, and his heavy feet dragged him up the hill and into his home. He collapsed on his bed, weary both physically and emotionally. Who knew so much could happen in one day, he thought. 

He reluctantly got up off his bed to make himself some dinner. He made his way to the kitchen, opening and closing cabinets as he searched for something to eat. He eventually settled on making a soup that he had helped his mom make many times as a child. He recalled the memory with a sad smile as he stirred the ingredients together. 

The conversation with Hongjoong hadn’t helped anything, and he was left feeling irritable and [uneasy] as well as mournful. He sighed and sat down, the table emptier than ever. He stared at his mother’s chair, yet another reminder of her absence. 

After barely finishing half of his dinner, he got up and went to his room. He changed into his nightclothes, and collapsed into bed. Wooyoung thought that his way of grieving must be immobility, as he barely had the energy to do anything. 

Body at rest, his mind began to wander. He mulled over his discussion with Hongjoong a couple times, debating again. Was he wrong to reject his kind offer? It would be an escape from the pain that now encompassed him, but was he willing to leave what he did have behind? He knew he would miss Jimin terribly. The boy always had always been an older brother to him, always reliable and present when Wooyoung struggled with something. He was the shoulder he could cry on when his father left his life and his mother became distant. 

He sat up abruptly, mind resolute with his decision. 

 

Wooyoung stood over Jimin’s bed. He felt kind of bad for disturbing him this late at night, but it also was not his fault that Jimin had a window that’s nothing but a hole in the wall. Like Wooyoung, his house faced the sea.

He shook the sleeping man gently. “Hey, Jimin-hyung, wake up!”  
The other turned his head back and forth before opening his eyes, only to see his friend standing over his bed.   
“ACK! WHAT THE- oh, it’s you. Quick question- WHAT are you doing here?”

Wooyoung grimaced, embarrass, before sitting on the side of his friend’s bed.   
“I have to tell you something.”  
“It better be important.”  
“It is! I just-um, I may or may not never see you again after tonight.”  
“Sorry?”  
“I’m leaving. And I might not come back.”  
“What- why? All of a sudden?”  
“Yeah. I know it’s really abrupt, but I can explain.”

Wooyoung dove into the story of that day; how he ended up on the beach after searching for his mom only to stumble upon a pirate ship of all things, and even meet one of the crew members. He told Jimin what the man named Hongjoong had offered, and how he had been thinking about it all evening.   
“Jimin-hyung, you understand that this is the opportunity to get out of all of this that I’ve been waiting for!”

Slightly out of breath, Wooyoung finally stopped talking. Jimin sat up at some point in the story, and was resting his head on his hand. He bit his lip, clearly processing the information.

“Wooyoung-ie, you know that you’re one of my best friends. You also know that I want the best for all of my friends. I also really hope that you realize the risks included with this- Wooyoung, you only met them once, today, and now you want to sail off with them to who knows where. Wooyoung, they’re pirates- who knows what could happen to you while in their hands. You could be tied up and burned at the stake, thrown to the sharks, abandoned in a cave somewhere, anything could happen. Please, Wooyoung, I can’t stop you from doing what you want but I beg you, please please please think deeply about what you do. You’re like my brother, Wooyoung-ie, and I have to look out for you since no one else will. Please think this through. You’ve already suffered enough in this life for someone so young. Please-” 

His voice broke off, a tear rolling down his face.   
Wooyoung lurched forward and enveloped the other in a hug. Jimin wrapped his arms around the other, and they sat like that for some time, just staying in the other’s presence.   
When they finally pulled away, Wooyoung looked Jimin right in the eye.   
“Then I’ll think more about it. Thank you for your time, Jimin. Please get some more rest.”

A beat. 

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Goodbye, then.”

And so Wooyoung climbed back out the window into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

He guessed he should have felt more guilty about this. 

But what can he say, he knew that this was the right thing to do. 

Wooyoung stood outside, the cliff overlooking the ship in the bay below. The flag saying ATEEZ was barely visible from his elevated position. 

He had a bag, filled with a few belongings of his. That included a picture of his family as three in its frame, his father’s pocket watch, a compass, two shirts, two pants, and a barely used journal. 

He took a deep breath and continued down the path toward the ocean, the sun only just rising over the sea . 

He finally arrived at the place where the ship was docked. He could just make out a few people walking around on deck, clothed in balck outfits similar to Hongjoong’s from the previous night. 

Wooyoung surveyed the situation. Should he risk going up to the ship and trying to get their attention somehow? Or should he wait there? The ship departing without him was the last thing he wanted.

While he stood there, deciding what to do, he was unknowingly seen by a member of ATEEZ. He quickly alerted the others that there was a stranger on the beach. Hongjoong quickly ran to the bow of the ship, hoping to see who he thought it would be. And it was.

“I hope you’re ready for some change, boys. We have a new person with us starting today.”

The leader looked back across the shore at Wooyoung. He and Hongjoong locked eyes from across the shore. He nodded at him, and Wooyoung walked forward.

 

Jimin woke up just as the sun found its position in the sky. He got ready leisurely since it was the end of the week, but nearly dropped his plate when he remembered suddenly the conversation from the night before.  
He ran out the door, still barefoot, running as fast as he could to Wooyoung’s house. After using a key hidden under a windowsill to get in, he desperately searched the house for a sign of his friend. 

Out of breath and close to giving up, he tried to calm himself down by taking deep breaths, when he spotted a piece of paper on the dining table. He quickly went over, picking up the letter and quickly scanning its contents. 

When he finished reading it, he pulled out a chair and collapsed into it, rested his head on the cool wood, and tried to process the contents of the letter. 

He let out a scream and banged his fist on the table, tears now streaming down his face as quick and plentiful as the waves crashing on the shore beneath him. 

He stood up and walked out the door, still clutching the paper in his hand. 

_To my dearest friend Jimin-hyung,_

_You are my dearest friend and brother in all ways but blood. When my family fell apart, you were already there waiting with open arms and a warm bowl of my favorite broth. You have always advised me in life where my dearest mother could not, and stood up for me against anyone who was ever rude or unkind to me in any way._  
_And for all else that you’ve done in my life, I thank you._  
_But I ask that you understand, and hopefully forgive me one day._  
_This life here in this seaside town has not treated me well. I never had grandparents, I lost my father, a close friend, and then my mother. And I guess that now that list includes you, too._  
_The man from the ship told me that I could go with them, and have adventure and fun in my life. I could smile for once with a heart that’s feather-light, not carrying the weight of an anvil. How could anyone pass up that chance?_  
_Please understand, Jimin-hyung, that my choice has nothing to do with you or anything you have done. Honestly, you are the one thing that made me think twice about his offer, because you, Jimin-hyung, have been the one and only constant in my life._  
_I write this letter hoping that you will learn to see my side of the story, if you do not already understand why I left. Our friendship is something that I will forever treasure and remember, no matter what._  
_I only hope that one day we will meet again, whether it be this sleepy village or a foreign land unknown to us as of yet._  
_And if we do not see each other again, I pray that you will remember me but learn to let go of me as well. I made this decision, so I will deal with whatever happens._  
_Maybe from me you can learn to always follow your dreams, as I did. Never lose that wonderful smile of yours. It can make a dreary room as bright as the sun._

_And remember that I love you, Jimin-hyung, and I will not forget you as long as I live, however long or short that may be._

_Please never forget me._

_Destiny is what we choose to make it, right? This is my attempt at giving myself a better one. I think I deserve it._

_You deserve a happy ending too, JImin-hyung.  
Don’t dwell on the past for too long. Move on after a bit, okay?_

_With a sad smile and fond memories,_  
_Your bestest friend,  
Jung Wooyoung._

**Author's Note:**

> Good so far? I’ll post the next chapter soon, so you won’t have to wait long to see what happens. Let me know if there’s any other ships you want included that aren’t already specified. Same goes for any tropes or things you want to see- I love taking suggestions!  
> Thank you so so so so much for reading, it means a lot to me. 
> 
> Have a wonderful day (or night) lovely Atinys!


End file.
